New Data Shows a Consistent Decrease of Children in Foster Care

March 20, 2024

Today, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced newly released Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) data. According to the report, the number of children in foster care has decreased for the fourth consecutive year.

The collective effort to find ways to serve children and families outside of foster care continues to grow. The Family First Prevention Services Act helped change the conversation to be about prevention of foster care placements and preservation of families. The growing number of states and tribal nations with approved plans — which includes 42 states, 4 tribes, and the District of Columbia — is anticipated to maintain the decline in the use of foster care and subsequently the decrease in entries. 

The number of children in foster care for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 decreased by nearly six percent compared to FY 2021, which is a greater decrease than that of FY 2021’s nearly four percent decrease relative to FY 2020. The number of children in foster care at the end of FY 2022 was 368,500, compared to 392,000 children in foster care at the end of FY 2021. 

“ACF is focused on prevention services and providing families with the supports they need to stay together and thrive,” said ACF Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Jeff Hild. “We are encouraged by the continued decrease in the number of children entering foster care and staying in foster care and we will continue working with our state, tribal and territorial partners to ensure an emphasis on family well-being and safe family reunification.”

According to the data collected by the Children’s Bureau within ACF, the number of children entering foster care decreased from 206,900 in FY 2021 to 186,600 in FY 2022. Entries have decreased each year since FY 2016. While the number of children exiting foster care has also decreased compared to last year (from 214,500 in FY 2021 to 201,400 in FY 2022), since 2020 the number of children exiting foster care has outpaced the number of children entering foster care. These counts of entries and exits represent the lowest levels since the collection of AFCARS data began more than two decades ago. 

While the 53,700 adoptions from foster care in FY 2022 represent a one percent decrease relative to FY 2021’s 54,200 adoptions, the number of children waiting to be adopted fell to 108,900 in FY 2022 compared to 113,800 in FY 2021. The number of children for whom parental rights had been terminated also decreased to 64,600 in FY 2022 compared to 65,000 in FY 2021, a decrease of less than one percent.

“The Children’s Bureau at ACF works every day to improve the lives of children, families, and communities by creating pathways that allow families to remain safely together,” said ACF Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau, Aysha E. Schomburg. “We are pleased the overall number of children entering foster care is declining, and we encourage jurisdictions to continue to use their data, concrete economic supports and child welfare program supports to drive down those numbers further. We will continue to work hard to ensure families have the necessary supports and services so children can remain at home as often as is safely possible and avoid the foster care system.” 

The annual AFCARS reports typically use the fiscal year’s two six-month submissions and are adjusted with the next fiscal year’s first submission.  AFCARS data collection changed significantly at the start of FY 2023. The number of data elements collected increased, the types of data collected changed, and the format of the data submissions changed. ACF anticipates the trends presented in FY 2022 will remain after the new AFCARS is fully implemented.

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Quick Facts

  • According to the report, the number of children in foster care has decreased for the fourth consecutive year.
  • The number of children in foster care for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 decreased by nearly six percent compared to FY 2021, which is a greater decrease than that of FY 2021’s nearly four percent decrease relative to FY 2020.
  • The number of children in foster care at the end of FY 2022 was 368,500, compared to 392,000 children in foster care at the end of FY 2021.
  • The number of children exiting foster care has decreased compared to last year (from 214,500 in FY 2021 to 201,400 in FY 2022). Since 2020, the number of children exiting foster care has outpaced the number of children entering foster care. 
  • While the 53,700 adoptions from foster care in FY 2022 represent a one percent decrease relative to FY 2021’s 54,200 adoptions, the number of children waiting to be adopted fell to 108,900 in FY 2022 compared to 113,800 in FY 2021.
  • The number of children for whom parental rights had been terminated decreased to 64,600 in FY 2022 compared to 65,000 in FY 2021, a decrease of less than one percent.

Quotes

"ACF is focused on prevention services and providing families with the supports they need to stay together and thrive. We are encouraged by the continued decrease in the number of children entering foster care and staying in foster care and we will continue working with our state, tribal and territorial partners to ensure an emphasis on family well-being and safe family reunification.”
— ACF Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary performing the delegable duties of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Jeff Hild
“The Children’s Bureau at ACF works every day to improve the lives of children, families, and communities by creating pathways that allow families to remain safely together. We are pleased the overall number of children entering foster care is declining, and we encourage jurisdictions to continue to use their data, concrete economic supports and child welfare program supports to drive down those numbers further. We will continue to work hard to ensure families have the necessary supports and services so children can remain at home as often as is safely possible and avoid the foster care system.”
— ACF Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau, Aysha E. Schomburg

Contact

Administration for Children & Families
Office of Communications
330 C Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Phone: (202) 401-9215
Fax: (202) 205-9688
Email: media@acf.hhs.gov